FORMALIN TREATMENT FOR OAT SMUT 593 



THE FORMALIN TREATMENT FOR CONTROLLING 

 OAT SMUT. 



JOHN A. KRALL. 

 INTRODUCTION. 



Five million dollars is a conservative estimate of the annual 

 loss incurred by the oat smut disease in Iowa. That this loss 

 can be controlled is indicated by the following statements from 

 farmers over the state of Iowa. 



Reports from 5,300 farmers representing over 15,000 acres 

 of farming- land, showed that 7.5 per cent of their oat crop 

 was destroyed by this disease. On the other hand, reports from 

 054 farmers who had treated their seed oats showed that their 

 loss was only 1.4 per cent. 



To insure more definite knowledge of the control methods 

 ? or oat smut, and to determine if possible a practical and efficient 

 method for the farmer has been the purpose of our work. In 

 the results which have been secured the writer wishes to 

 acknowledge the co-operation and assistance which was accorded 

 from time to time by Dr. L. II. Pammel. Prof. II. I). Hughes 

 and others interested in the work. 1 



EARLY HISTORY OF OAT SMUT CONTROL MEASURES. 



Selby (47) from review of early literature makes mention of 

 two articles which are interesting from a historical standpoint. 

 In the September 29th issue of the American Farmer, Balti- 

 more, 1820, page 215, a correspondent tells of oats so badly 

 smutted that the eraddlers were nearly as black as colliers. The 

 crop was allowed to lie on the ground for curing, in the old 

 manner, and was turned after showers some four or live times 

 before binding and gathering. The same oats sowv.l the next 

 season gave a crop free from smut. The value of washing the 

 grain no doubt was early recognized. In a later publication of 

 the Cultivator. May. 1856, page 139, the editor recommends 

 to one of his correspondents that "he wash the grain thoroughly 



1 This work was done in the botanical and farm crop laboratories Iowa 

 State College. 



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